IMPACT

Ari - That office already exists

It's called Office of Foreign Assets Control.  

 //www.treasury.gov/about/organizational-structure/offices/Pages/Office-of-Foreign-Assets-Control.aspx

You can ask for licenses to do business with Iran through OFAC.  I have heard that most of those requests, so long as they don't involve prohibited items (military, dual use, etc.) are granted.   

IRI and its Groupies both oppose sanctions

Based on his/her barking on cyberspace for its "shepeshoo" owners back home, a certain North America-residing IRI Groupie lets us know that the IRI does not want sanctions or an oil embargo. If the IRI parasites oppose these policies, then you know for sure that they are the correct ones to pursue. Fortunately, President Obama's administration is doing the right thing. The gravy train of oil money is about to slow down for the IRI and its West-residing IRI Groupies. Cheers!

I agree that the control of oil flow is the key to force IRI out

I agree that the control of oil flow and the money it generates is the key to force IRI out.  There are 3 scenerios that I see here:

Vote of the Security Council:  To think that the UN security council will vote for an oil embargo, with China and Russia sitting there, is a bid unrealistic and approaches Alice in Wonderland dreams.

Unilateral Embargo: Unilateral physical oil embargo is difficult and approaches a decleration of war message.  I am not sure if the US is up for another long-range conflict with her own little wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Lybia, Sudan and Yemen already in progress.  And, would it even be worse than what was placed on Iraq, with no results?  I see better luck with convincing individual countries and neighbors not to buy any, and Turkey, Armenia and Iraq already have on-going contracts with Iran.

Iranian Oil worker's Strike:  This is the most effective way to cut off the oil money, along with freezing of the foreign accounts of the IRI officials.  If the right personnel go on strike, the oil industry will soon come to a halt.  This will also require a lot of support from the people and the regular Iranian Army as outlined as part of a strategy elsewhere (Practical path towards democracy). 

PS, Doing it domestically will render any new Iranian governmnet independent of obligations / pre-conditions to the foreigners who provided assistance, and make the movement totally grass-root.

Thank you, Massoud

Dear Massoud,

Excellent analysis. I don't know if "Jamal Abdi" is a supporter of the IRI, but he is spewing the myth that mullahs and their supporters are spreading around world, that the problem is USA, Israel and the sanctions. None sense. The problem is the government of Iran that continues to oppress the people, supports terrirism around the world and is a destablizing force across the Middle East.

Because of the extreme violent nature of the mullah regime, those outside the country who care about democracy carry a bigger burden. I think sanctions are one of the best and most effective ways to bring the mullahs to their knees. Still, as you point out, as long as the mullahs sell their oil, they would have enough in their coffers to support the oppression and their international adventure. Unfortunately, the likelihood of the world accepting an oil embargo on Iran is slim. However, if the current sanctions remain in place and toughened, sooner or later Iran's oild industry would be unprofitable because of its old machinery. Already, the regime is only able to extract one third of the levels of 1977, this coupled with the fact that the population of Iran has doubled and the machinery is getting older. So, sanctions will bring this regime to its knees eventually. Democrats all over the world must keep the sanctions in place.

Democrat vs. Mola

Mola,

You fundamentalist terrorists can jump up and down and use insults as much as you want. Your insults will NOT intimidate us into silence. There is a difference between fundamentalist thugs like you and decent democrats like us. We use logic and evidence, and you use insults, threats, torture, rape, assassinations, executions.

Your terrorist regime is a cancer that is killing our people. One solution that I have offered is sanctions on oil sales of the terrorist regime. Surgery and treatment of cancer will be painful, but is one way to get rid of you and establish health of the body politics of our people. Like an honest doctor, I am saying the best way to cure VF cancer is surgery. You are saying that this will hurt. Of course it will hurt. We have the VF cancer that is KILLING us, hellooooooooooooooo. If you have a better solution that would overthrow the terrorist regime with less pain, please go ahead and offer it.

The Iranian people have a choice. Your recommendation is that the Iranian people be killed, tortured, raped and brutalized by the fundamentalist regime for the foreseeable future. My recommendation is that we should overthrow the terrorist regime and establish a free, democratic system based on human rights. In order to overthrow the fundamentalist regime, there are some painful means to do so. 

The Iranian people have a choice to make. I have made my choice. Lets see whether my democratic regime change side wins or the anti-regime change side wins. I am proud of standing up and saying what I believe here and everywhere. You are even afraid of using your name here.

You do not give a damn about democracy and the human rights of the Iranian people. All you care is for you to get your sundis. Shame on you.

Masoud

I am with MK on this one, completely

I would not support any sanction that is not targeted specifically at individuals with leading role in the IRI regime or the organizations that are considered pillars of the regime (i.e Sepah, Bassij) unless it is done in parallel with imposing a boycott of Iranian oil.

Imposing sanction while providing hard & high currency to the regime, is only to sell the very same item only more expensive to this regime and not making a dent to the system only causing more suffering for the people and strengthening IRI hands at the people's throat.

The West need to put their money where their mouth is and boycott Iranian oil before implementing any sanctions.

Mehrdad

قافیه که تنگ آید شاعر به جفنگ آید

The subject at hand is 'how sanctions hurt Iranians inside Iran and Iranians outside Iran'. 

Do you know what Iranias inside Iran will say to you If you tell them 'to go hungry' while you yourself living the good life here?

They'll tell you: "you are Pathetic".

And they are right. 

Translating Mola language:

Mola: This same character is sitting in his comfortable home in the United States receiving his paychecks on time while talking about making 'sacrifice for freedom and democracy'.

بسمه تعالی،

برادران سرباز گمنام امام زمان کجان که ترتیب این لیبرال سمج رو بدن مثل اون فروهر، پروانه، بختیار، برومند، و غیره....

Best argument for sanctions is to look at its opponents

When you have West-residing IRI groupies and front organizations, like NIAC and their "Malijaks" on Iranian.com barking against sanctions, then you know that sanctions against the IRI are exactly the right path to take. It may, however, mean less welfare support payments coming from the IRI for its Groupies living in the U.S. of A and Canada who post on Iranian.com. Cheers  :-)

....

Excellent analysis by Mr Abdi regarding why sanctions are bad for Iranian Americans.

What is interesting is the proclamation of some of these commentators here. Read this one by this alienated hatemonger who says:

"Freedom comes with a cost. If we want to have freedom and democracy, we have to be willing to pay the cost. These costs include being executed, tortured, and raped by the terrorists who rule Iran as well as the costs that sanctions would require."

This same character is sitting in his comfortable home in the United States receiving his paychecks on time while talking about making 'sacrifice for freedom and democracy'.

What a joke!

Supporting Sanctions Against the Terrorist Regime

If we are serious about replacing the fundamentalist terrorist regime with democracy, we NEED to STOP the terrorist regime’s oil exports. The oil money goes directly into the hands of the terrorist regime. This is BILLIONS and BILLIONS of dollars year after year after year.

These BILLIONS of dollars goes directly into the hands of Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad. Khamenei uses this money to pay for the Basijis who beat up people, the IRGC who kill our people, and the Ministry of Intelligence torturers who torture our people. The oil money pays for the sandis that maintains the support base of the terrorist regime.

So far the sanctions have been minor stuff. The only sanctions that would take away the ability of the terrorist regime to continue their brutal rule is to STOP sale of oil.

One of the main factors that lead to the overthrow of the Shah was the successful strikes by the oil workers. Because the terrorist regime is a zillion times more brutal and violent than the Shah’s regime, our oil workers could not go on strike. The terrorist regime would simply kill a few hundred of our oil workers and would announce that they will kill other workers if they did not brake their strike. Because of this extreme violent nature of the terrorists ruling Iran, we NEED to use another METHOD of depriving the terrorist regime from having access to our oil.

Therefore, oil sanctions is the replacement of strike by our oil workers due to the extreme brutal nature of the terrorist regime.

A complete total oil boycott of the fundamentalist terrorist regime is the BEST way to weaken the terrorist regime and thus empower and enable the Iranian people ourselves to overthrow the terrorist who are brutally ruling us.

I support a UN Security Council resolution that would totally ban any purchase of oil from the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Unfortunately, there are greedy oil companies and governments who put profits above democracy and human rights of the Iranian people. These greedy entities oppose a UN Security Council resolution against the terrorist regime. Therefore, sanctions against the terrorist regime by various other countries and entities is the second option.

The goal is not the change the behaviour of the terrorist regime. Our goal is to change the terrorist regime with democracy. We need to isolate the terrorist regime, we need to condemn the terrorist regime officials publically in any and all venues. We need to undermine the terrorist regime’s claim to legitimacy.

The FACT of the matter is that there has not been one single free and democratic election in Iran since 1980. Therefore, the terrorist regime does not have any legitimate claim that the Iranian people have elected it. Anti-democratic elections in IRI are anti-democratic. Anti-democratic fake election are dome a dozen in dictatorial systems.

Freedom comes with a cost. If we want to have freedom and democracy, we have to be willing to pay the cost. These costs include being executed, tortured, and raped by the terrorists who rule Iran as well as the costs that sanctions would require.

During these dark days of our struggle for freedom and democracy, we need to be honest and tell our people to be ready for many sacrifices. We need to undermine the ability of Khamenei to have access to billions and billions of dollars to pay for his coercive apparatuses. We need to isolate the regime. We need to condemn the officials of the terrorist regime.

If we succeed in our struggle, our people will have a chance of overthrowing the terrorist regime and establishing democracy. If Khamenei succeeds, then there will be more and more brutal tyranny.

If the world stops buying oil from the terrorist regime, this certainly weaken Khamenei, and this will help empower and enable the Iranian people, ourselves, to overthrow the terrorist regime.

Those in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate who are writing legislation that would impose sanctions on the terrorist regime which would deprive Khamenei from having access to billions and billions of dollars are weakening Khamenei. If they are able to deprive Khamenei from having access to billions and billions of dollars, they will be helping those Iranians who oppose the terrorist regime. These sanctions legislation will undermine Khamenei. They will help empower and enable the Iranian people, ourselves, to overthrow the terrorists. Lets hope so.

Best,

Masoud

State department needs special office

A special State Department office needs to be set up to review, approve, and facilitate innocent and legal transactions between US citizens and Iran. It's hard work, it's red tape, and needs extra staffing but they can charge a fee for the service to cover the costs.

NIAC lobby

The sooner the sane world lead by the US imposes oil sanctions on the Islamist Rapist Republic coupled with the needed material help to the enslaved Iranian people to overthrow their Rapist despots, the sooner Iranians get to rebuild their shattered lives.

And to no surprise, the details of Mr. Banki's conviction  is not as NIAC lobbyist reports.